Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-03-09
THE HOLY CITY.
A Pilgrimage to sIecca-Incidents by the
Way-Oriental Costumes.

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Way-Orienta1 Costumes.
Another large audience attended the ser
ond lecture of the Hebrew, Wad- Edward
at the First Baptist Church, last evening
The lecturer appeared in Oriental costume
which consisted of frock made of gray
and brown striped silk q tunic of red ma
terial was thrown over his shoulders, which
extended half way to the floor For head.
dress he wore turban. During the even
ing, for the purpose of illustrating the
manner in which the Egyptian and Mo-
hammedan women dress. the lecturer pre-
scented his wife to the audience, dressed in
the costume OF each nationality. The
lecturer presented, in very eloquent man.
ner, the pilgrimage of a large multitude of
the followers of Mohammed
FROM CAIRO TO THE HOLY CITY,
Mecca. He said that he accompanied this
particular company, some fifty thousand
in number, from the starting point to their
destination. After they had been on the
road some fifteen days they arrived at a
place called The Wells of Moses" At
this point their suffering began, and hun
dreds of pilgrims would die by the way
5luc HUH tAudQSllOu anu
the journeyings of the Mohammedan to
the Holy City he would observe all the
rites of his religion. The speaker said that
among those who composed the company
were class known as the Howling Der
wishes" who would go through a sort of
dance, uttering the most unearthly sounds
In addition to this, they would run knife
through their cheeks, also cut the skin
loose on their backs, run thong through,
and then suspend themselves until the
skin would break and liberate them. The
speaker said that each one was expected
TO OBSERVE THIS RELIGIOUS CUSTOM,
And as he was not prepared to worship
Mohammed. or any one else, and undergo
that kind of torture, he followed a plan
made use of sometimes, that of going into
a fit and remaining in that condition until
they had concluded their barbarous method
of worship. Another class of worshipers
of the Prophet was referred to, who are
known as the Whirling Deryishes." The
speaker said that during their journey
about 500 of them formed in line, and
kept it up for about two hours without
stopping. He said they spun themselves
around so rapidly that it was
NOT POSSIBLE TO SEE THEIR FACES.
At last, said the lecturer, we have arrived
at Mecca, the holy city. 1t is built on the
side OF hill, mphitheater-sloped, so that
from any position in the city you can view
the entire camping ground of the pilgrims.
Sometimes, said the lecturer, million and
a half Of people assemble on this plain for
the purpose of worship and trading. Near
Mecca is a mountain known as Mount
Arafat, where all go to worship, but none
can pass certain point unless they have
observed all the charities laid down in the
code of the Mohammedan ritual of wor-
ship, and one of these is that you must be
married; if you are not, you must go to
the market place and purchase wife, which
can be done for about SO cents. You can
also secure
DIVORCE FOR oNE-HALF THE COST
Price. The lecturer said the buyer was
not permitted to see the face of his pur-
chase, nor even her hands. as her face was
covered with mask, and her entire body
with garment which enveloped the whole
body; that the person making the purchase
did not know whether the "she he was
buying was he or a she" After all the
followers had gathered on the mount,
which must be early in the morning, a
cannon is fired, and from that time until
evening you are not permitted to laugh,
talk, or move, except to change from one
foot to the other to rest yourself Before
the close of day another signal is given,
and then all the artillery and small fire
arms are discharged, after which the Mo-
hamnedan returns to camp.
The lecturer said that Mecca was the
filthiest place on the face of Gods earth,
and that it would be blessing to mankind
if followers of the Prophet, including those
-hN lftye. x-or1IA oil u OF
Mecca and have the good fortune to be
swept out of existence by the Asiatic chol-
era, which their gatherings and filthy hab
its at Mecca produce.
Tonight the lecturer will dress some
twenty persons in Oriental costume for
the purpose of illustrating an Oriental mar
rage and festival, also a Jewish Passover.
To-night's lecture will be the last of the
course.